Blog 3

Iron Jawed Angels was a really empowering and emotional movie for me.  I learned about some of the problems that women went through back when the American society was less equitable than ours today.  I was actually surprised about how cruel some people were about women standing up for themselves and their rights. Some possible themes of the film are:

1. Standing your ground produces results

2. Fight for what you believe in

3. Don't back down, even when nothing is going in you favor

One example of the tensions that women working for suffrage was the wife who's husband was a republican senator, and he did not approve or agree with women's suffrage or the activities that his wife was participating in.  She stood up for what she believed in and did not take the bail money or presidential pardon offered to her.  She joined her fellow women in the workhouse until they were released.

Another example was the struggles that the women had with the disapproval and dismissal of the issue by government officials, including the president. When war was declared, their problem only worsened, and their task made harder.  The president didn't want to even hear about women's suffrage, and couldn't believe when the women were standing their ground when he declared war.  The women kept pushing the issue at the president, as well as individual states.  By doing so, the women were able to accomplish their goal, and women gained the right to vote.  

Alice Paul and the other women fighting for equality were able to accomplish their goals by being educated about the subject and the issue, and by pressing the issue with great force, never letting up.  They also truly believed in what they were fighting for, which also helped their determination to accomplish their goal.  

I agree with Bell Hooks' definition of feminism, and I think it is one of the best definitions I have heard.  I also agree that sexism is the base of the feminist movement.  I love that Hooks mentions Native American women in their struggle, saying that all women have struggles with equality, even though some of them may be different.

I also agree with Hooks when she states that Feminism is a learned belief, for I have developed into one myself.  I thought it was interesting that Hooks said that early feminists had to be conscious of the sexism in their societies and lives in order to fully understand their argument for feminism.  

I was surprised at the experience Hooks went through with her college education.  I didn't think that the sexes could really be thought of still, as so different.  It also angered me to hear of the way women were treated in her co-ed school, versus an all women's college.  I disagree with what the male teacher told her about men being naturally smarter than women, I think both have the potential for equal smartness.

I agree with Hooks' argument about domestic violence.  I think it is wrong, and people should be educated about all the different kinds of domestic violence. 

I now understand why Feminism got the label of "radical, man-haters".  I do, however think that the women who started the radical movements had a right to be mad.  They had been in bad relationships with men who abused them; I would be mad too!